Sightseeing in Kiev - what to see. Complete travel guide

In order to get acquainted with all notable places of Kiev you will need more than one day of long walks. However, you will not need any transport as all main sights of this city are located nearby.

The main street of the city is called Kreschatik. We suggest starting your observation of the city with it. It’s also worth mentioning that this street is one of the widest in the world. On weekends the movement of the transport is closed on Kreschatik, so pedestrians can enjoy various architectural sights of this place, look at monuments and sculptures. The buildings on the street were made in different epochs, so their combination is unusual and very interesting to visitors. Here you will find numerous modern restaurants that offer wide selection of national and European dishes, and multiple trading centers and boutiques.

Theatre connoisseurs should make a walk on Gorodetsky Street and look at Ivan Franko Theater. President Palace is located nearby. There you can also see one more interesting building – the House with Chimeras.

One more interesting place, Golden Gates, is located not far away from the main street. Once these ancient gates have been the main entrance of the city. When guests entered Kiev, the first thing they saw St. Sophia Cathedral built in the 11th century. Today its walls keep a large collection of relics and frescos that traditionally amaze people. The opposite side of the St. Sophia Square is the place of the location of Bogdan Khmelnitsky monument and St. Michael's Cathedral. When you are tired from walks in this city, you can make a funicular ride that features a magnificent view of Kiev. These are just some memorable places that are worth visiting when you are in Kiev. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In Kiev, there is a unique ancient monastery – the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. It was founded in the 11th century and is now a UNESCO site. The monastery is a compound architectural center with several temples, a theological seminary and other buildings. Even the oldest part was retained - the cells that were carved directly into the rock. In addition to religious relics, the monastery houses a rich collection of books. One of the largest state libraries in the country is located here.

Among the religious attractions, the Saint Sophia’s Cathedral, deserves special attention. The first mention of it dates back to the 13th century. For hundreds of years of its existence, the cathedral has been repeatedly destroyed, but was quickly restored and each time it became bigger and more spectacular. Now the cathedral is also considered a site of world heritage. The last major reconstruction in it was held in the 17th century. In the cathedral, many old decoration elements have been preserved. At present, services are held exclusively on major religious holidays.

The beautiful Saint Andrew's Church is considered one of the most spectacular in the world of monuments in the Baroque style. This church was built in the middle of the 18th century. It is located in the heart of the historical district of Kiev, on top of a hill. The temple impresses with its beauty. Its domes are painted in emerald color, and the facade is executed in a white-blue style. In this church, precious elements of decoration were also preserved. Many ancient icons and other shrines are kept in it.

In Kiev, there are many outstanding architectural monuments. A spectacular example of the Art Nouveau style is the House with Chimaeras. The main feature of this original mansion is the sculptures decorating its facade, on which mythical creatures - chimeras are depicted. The interior of this mansion is no less original. The author of the building project was the famous architect Wladyslaw Horodecki.

The National Museum of History of Ukraine remains the most visited cultural institution in Kiev. Once it was founded like a small archeological exhibition. With time, the museum's exposition grew thousands of times. The official opening of the museum took place in 1904. Presently, in addition to unique archeological artifacts, one can see extensive collections of weapons, ancient coins, rare books, porcelain, and art products.